Jeremy to join us? I will need someone to talk to while you are with Teddy.
MONIQUE
Yeah sure but I am asking Teddy to come only because he is new here and I am trying to be nice.
IAN
Ok N_I_C_E.
Monique was going to her car when Teddy raced and yelled out to her. She turned around and that is when her girlish smile came on her face. He offered to carry her backpack. She politely gave it to him.
MONIQUE
Listen, we are going to Nashville this weekend, would you like to go? We are leaving in the morning.
TEDDY
Yeah man. I will ask my dad to be for sure. What are you going for?
MONIQUE
Just going to tour Fisk University, do a little shopping, maybe a little site seeing.
TEDDY
Sounds like a winner.
SIX
I was about to start my morning jog when Aunt Aretha arrived. I was a bit surprised to see her at 5:45 a.m. I finished lacing my shoes as Aunt Aretha got out of her Lexus RX Hybrid. I raced to hug her and give her a kiss on the cheek.
JACOB
Good morning Auntie.
ARETHA
Hey Papadopoulos. I see that you are about to go for your run. Baby, just get you a treadmill or go to the gym.
JACOB
Auntie I have a gym membership. Running in the morning air is exhilarating to me.
ARETHA
I guess. Where is Monique?
JACOB
She is still in the bed. She usually get up about six or six-thirty. I will need you to drop me off at airport when I finish my run.
ARETHA
Ok. Well I am going to unpack while you continue to get fit.
I started my run as Aunt Aretha got her luggage out of her SUV. She was humming Diana Ross’ “ Touch Me in The Morning” as she entered the last bedroom on the right and tossed her luggage on the bed.
Monique was in her bathroom curling her hair when she heard Aretha. She went out into the hall to see who it was because she knew that I had left for my morning run.
When she saw that it was her Aunt Aretha she quickly gave her a hug. Aretha embraced Monique as tight as she could. They enjoyed seeing each other. Aretha helped Jacob rear Monique when they moved back to Mississippi.
MONIQUE
How are you doing Auntie?
ARETHA
I am good Monique. How are you? How is school going?
MONIQUE
I am great and so is school.
ARETHA
Good. Good. So have you decided on a college yet?
MONIQUE
I am narrowing it down. You know Pop wants me to go to Alcorn but I just can’t do it. There is Spelman and University of West Alabama. Some friends and I are going to Nashville this weekend to tour Fisk.
ARETHA
So this is a school trip?
MONIQUE
Yes ma’am.
ARETHA
Who all are going?
MONIQUE
Just Ian, Jeremy, a new student Teddy and me.
ARETHA
Wait a minute sugar. You and three boys. I thought you said this was a school trip.
MONIQUE
It is Auntie. We are going to tour Fisk.
ARETHA
Does your daddy know about this trip?
MONIQUE
Of course, I told him earlier this week.
ARETHA
Baby, I don’t think that it is a good idea for you to go all the way up there and you dad is in New York.
MONIQUE
We have already made reservations. Plus you are here at the house if anything was to happen.
ARETHA
I just think you need to change it. Fisk will be there.
Monique did not want to hear any of these suggestions. She was determined to make it to Nashville this weekend. In a huff she went to her room to finish packing her bags.
Her phone began to ring. It was Ian calling to make sure of the time that Monique would be picking them up. She told him about 7. They chatted a little more about the upcoming weekend.
Monique told Ian that she would call him back. She put her phone on the bed and stuck her head out of the door to see if she could tell where Aunt Aretha was.
She heard Aunt Aretha singing in the guest room. She quickly grabbed her bags and rushed them to the trunk of her car. Monique ran back into the house and to her room.